PPF Late in Life

[galaxy]

I haven’t kept up with the industry too terribly much, but been looking into it lately and it seems like PPF quality and options have really come into its own just in the past handful of years. Couple of brands have some truly amazing depth, gloss, and clarity that you’ll never get with a wax/coating. Not to mention the protection that comes with it.

So my question is this, and apologies if this has been done before (tl;dr)…

What are the pros and cons of full PPF, mainly for the purpose of a desired appearance over outright protection, on an older, established car?? It’s a 2017 with 37K on the clock.

Fortunately, I did the front end brand new. So removing that will leave an undamaged front clip. But the hook, area in front of rear wheels, etc, that do receive normal wear and tear, have just that. Car doesn’t live in the sun. Gets about 5K a year and lives a pampered life (from a detail perspective).

I’m well aware of the basics; perfect paint correction prior to, all that kinda stuff. What are the things I haven’t thought about??

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[Oakley]

PPF is something you gotta be careful about because it isn't always the answer. I chose to not do PPF because I'd rather touch up chips along the way than deal with what goes into having PPF.

 

[TonyNJ]

You don't need "perfect" paint correction prior to applying a good PPF. Just touch up the obvious chips, scratches, and heavy swirls. A good polish or detail will be fine with today's films.

Pros: you'll preserve your paint and get no more scratches and chips. Having the full car done has already saved me some damage on my car.

Cons: Cost of film and application.

To the point about the paint needing to be "perfect" prior. Here is an example of how much the newer films cover imperfections. That's just film on top of oxidized old paint. Imagine how good it will look on a decent paint. If you can afford it, and you're keeping your car, go for it.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

PPF is something you gotta be careful about because it isn't always the answer.

How so?

 

[AZ_Ryan]

I personally can't think of cons, other than the cost. If your car lives in the sun PPF won't last indefinitely. But it doesn't sound like that's an issue.

Modern PPF has come a long way. If you get a scratch or scrape it'll self heal with a little heat.

 

[MAGS1]

As others have said, the biggest con is the cost. They’re not magic though, they won’t protect against larger stones or bigger things that would actually sent a panel. But for preventing little stone chips and even providing protection against road salt and film, it’s fantastic. It also protects against bird droppings but it will etch like clear coat if it sits too long.

Today’s films are really good and the good ones won’t yellow or peel (assuming it was installed properly of course). Most good films have a 10 year warranty against yellowing, cracking, etc. I would apply a ceramic coating over top of the PPF. Make cleaning easier and there are good coating options out there made specifically for use on PPF.

Look into stealth/matte PPF too if you like that look. It looks phenomenal on a lot of colors.

 

[geep81]

I'm waiting for 5+ more years till all the people doing it the last 5 years have to remove and replace it. I think that's going to be a mess and will lead to messed up paintwork, so I am avoiding any PPF.

I've seen 5+ year PPF results of the old stuff, and it is not pretty.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

I'm waiting for 5+ more years till all the people doing it the last 5 years have to remove and replace it. I think that's going to be a mess and will lead to messed up paintwork, so I am avoiding any PPF.

I've seen 5+ year PPF results of the old stuff, and it is not pretty.

PPF removal doesn't damage paint, unless you have some janky spray job or it wasn't applied correctly.

 

[MAGS1]

PPF removal doesn't damage paint, unless you have some junky spray job or it want applied correctly.

Well, in theory removal could damage the paint if you try to rip it off like the Incredible Hulk or something. When removed properly, you’re right, there’s very low risk for paint damage.

 

[geep81]

PPF removal doesn't damage paint

Well I'll just say I don't believe you at all there.

My anecdotal experiences are it's really easy for a wrap application or removal to lead to cut up clearcoat/paint. I know someone it happened to personally.

Just like a bad buffing job can burn thru your clear coat a bad PPF job can leave you with damaged paint too with all the cutting and slicing they have to do to wrap a piece of bodywork cleanly.

 

[Skye]

OP, the biggest downside will be the cost.

Clean the car nicely, then check out at least three installers, people that consistently work with the product. For example, the shop I went to does detailing, custom upgrades, tint and PPF. They work with all the local dealers and install the product on anything from a DD to a vehicles in the six figures.

Look at their shop, what they are working on, how their shop and employees look. The team I went to, they have service bays for general work, but PPF is done in a clean area. Their ceramic, a paint booth. When they are laying product down, no one is allowed in or out.

This shop is also a PPF franchisee, so they have large plotters in the back and databases of virtually anything with wheels. Everything is done on the plotters. They rarely custom-cut anything. Virtually no one free-hands these materials; it's too complicated and the results too inconsistent.

Set realistic expectations and ask for realistic opinions. Point out the blemishes you're aware of. With respect to prep, any good shop is going to want the paint as best possible before application. They might do a simple polish. They might do a cut and polish. It's just like anything else: the best prep will lead to the best results.

Finally, look at the finished product. See if they have a car they've recently completed. Ask to study it or have them show you what it can look like.

Current products have a 10-year wear life. If the car is kept garaged, you might get a bit more. If outside in the blazing Sun, maybe a bit less. The installers can talk to you about that.

Ask them to explain how to care for the product. I will not go through an automated car wash. As with paint, the PPF will develop scratches over time. I do not wash my car in the heat of the day. But I wouldn't do that otherwise, as it leads to water spots. I seal my PPF, just like I do paint. I use a particular sealer. I wash with a well-known detailing soap and I decon the PPF two to three times a year with a soap for that.

If the installer is using good materials and does good work, it's often unnoticeable. Go to car shows and see if there are any detailing shops there. I was talking to one of their potential customers and used my car as an example. He thought he knew where the edge of the product was; he was wrong.

With respect to damage, there is a life of about 10 years. It's expected you'll have it removed then and replaced. Just like antifreeze left in too long or tires driven too long, damage can occur if operating outside the replacement date.

I have PPF installed across the car. Very happy I got it. Well worth it.

Google a few places in your area and check out their work. Kick the can around, discuss pricing, options and look at real-world results.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

Well I'll just say I don't believe you at all there.

My anecdotal experiences are it's really easy for a wrap application or removal to lead to cut up clearcoat/paint. I know someone it happened to personally.

Just like a bad buffing job can burn thru your clear coat a bad PPF job can leave you with damaged paint too with all the cutting and slicing they have to do to wrap a piece of bodywork cleanly.

Its done by good shops everyday my friend. Just don't let the 3 stooges take it off and you'll be fine.

 

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

I'm waiting for 5+ more years till all the people doing it the last 5 years have to remove and replace it. I think that's going to be a mess and will lead to messed up paintwork, so I am avoiding any PPF.

I've seen 5+ year PPF results of the old stuff, and it is not pretty.

It's not that big a deal. I removed the PPF from my wife's Mazda hood after about 4 years and there were a few marks that i polished off with a DA which took about 5 minutes. Removing it took about an hour with an electric tea kettle.

I wasn't impressed with how the film looked after 4 years (3M) and it really started looking cloudy by year 3. Car was garaged when possible. Wasn't able to warranty replace it so i removed it. I would only put this stuff on the front bumper after this experience. The hood didn't get a single rock chip or anything though, so it did its job i guess.

 

[TonyNJ]

I'm waiting for 5+ more years till all the people doing it the last 5 years have to remove and replace it. I think that's going to be a mess and will lead to messed up paintwork, so I am avoiding any PPF.

With no PPF on it, in 5 years... your car's paint is going to look like this...

 

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

Lol. Oxygen and UV! Keep that paint sealed people.

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